The market was not particularly strong on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posting modest gains that were offset by higher bond yields and flat oil. Apple slid about 2% after a report of softer component orders, while Nvidia traded near the flat line as the AI trade remained under pressure.

Cramer noted that elevated yields, higher oil prices and inflation concerns led the CNBC Investing Club to add to positions in Kimberly-Clark, FedEx and Bank of New York on Thursday. The purchases were described as small shifts intended to balance exposure to AI and data-center-related names, and he indicated a tendency to pause trades on Friday.

On Starbucks, he said he had been contemplating buying more shares on Thursday after chatter that the company might pursue a Chipotle acquisition weighed on the stock. He suggested that if the stock fell to about $90 and signs emerged that Starbucks would not buy Chipotle, it could present an attractive entry point. He added that a Chipotle deal does not seem aligned with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's typical approach.